Drive-thru coffee shop and car wash plans for outskirts of March given green light despite town council objections
Plans for a drive-thru café in March complete with electric car charging points and a state-of-the-art car wash have been given the green light despite concerns raised by the town council.
The application has been made by London-based One Wisbech Road March Ltd for a site off Gipsy Lane – the access road for the existing KFC and Cobblestones pub off Wisbech Road.
March Town Council had recommended the application for refusal over flooding concerns which councillors said had not been addressed after the application, made last summer was withdrawn, before being resubmitted this summer.
Middle-Level Commissioners, one of two internal drainage boards that cover the area, had also commented to raise awareness of ongoing issues relating to both surface water drainage and disposal of foul drainage from developments in this location.
Gary Roberts, a Middle-Level engineer, said: “Both Drainage Authorities have confirmed to previous planning applications in the area that disposal of treated effluent to the local drainage system will not be consented. Any foul drainage from developments in this area should connect to the AWS Ltd public sewer network.
“With regards to surface water drainage the authorities’ requirements are that any surface water drainage system is fully attenuated to greenfield run-off. There are known issues and concerns with the private drain to the rear of Gypsy Close which runs north, past March Foods Ltd. It is unlikely that this watercourse will be suitable to accommodate attenuated surface water drainage from the proposed development.
“It is also understood that the private drain has known issues of blockages and discharges to a private. We are therefore writing to highlight these above constraints which will impact the proposed drive-thru café and car wash.”
One resident had submitted images of flooding around their bungalow to highlight their objections to the plans.
However, the Fenland officer’s report, which recommended the application for approval, said: “The proposed development is located wholly within Flood Zone 1 and predominantly within an area of low and very low risk of surface water flooding, where the principle of development is acceptable in flood risk terms.
“There is a small section of the site which is located within an area of medium and high risk of surface water flooding, however, this encompasses only part of the existing access road into the site which already serves two restaurants (including one with a drive-through facility) and electric vehicle charging points.
“The proposed drive-through café, car wash, electric vehicle charging points, and substation would all be located within Flood Zone 1 and areas at very low risk of surface water flooding. It is therefore considered that the proposed development adopts a sequential approach to flood risk, in accordance with policy.”
Consequently, the application was approved this week with the officer’s report concluding: “It is considered that, subject to the recommended conditions, the proposed development broadly accords with relevant local and national planning policies and guidance and would have acceptable impacts in respect of all relevant material planning considerations.”
The plans include the drive-thru which will be operated by Bocca Coffee – a Dutch-brand coffee.
There will be 11 parking spaces, one disabled space, and six electric vehicle charging points.
The total floor space for the café, the car wash, and the electric charging/parking spaces are 105.3sq metres.
